Morris, Susan Adele

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 02/04/2013 09/10/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 The childminder has friendly and positive relationships with parents. This enables her to build strong attachments to the children so they develop their independence and make suitable progress in their learning and development.  Children develop their coordination and their physical skills well because they have ample opportunities for enjoyable, active outdoor exercise.  The childminder supports children to develop healthy lifestyles by providing nutritious snacks and encouraging consistent hygiene routines.  Children benefit from daily activities that effectively promote their social skills, such as visits to activity and toddler groups. This helps to prepare them well for the next stages of their learning, such as school.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder is unable to demonstrate how she manages children's attendance and her childminding ratios because a daily record of the children looked after on the premises is not consistently maintained.  The childminder is not fully effective in focussing on children's learning and enabling them to think about other possibilities through open-ended questioning.  The childminder does not always give children enough time to resolve their own minor conflicts and responsibly agree their own boundaries and codes of behaviour.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and the children at convenient times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents through questionnaires and testimonials.

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Inspection activities

 Documentation was checked, including policies and procedures, children's learning records and accident forms.

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Information about the setting

The childminder has been registered since 2009 and lives with her husband and three children aged 12 years, seven years and 11 months in Ely, Cambridgeshire. She is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. There are currently nine children on roll, most of whom attend on a part-time basis. Of these, three are in the early years age group.

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Information about the setting

Minded children mainly use the ground floor of the home, with a bedroom on the first floor for sleeping. There is an enclosed back garden for outdoor play. The childminders home is within walking distance of local schools, toddler groups and play areas. The family has three cats and three rabbits that live outside. The childminder is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years. She offers her childminding service each weekday all year round with the exception of public and family holidays.

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must:

 keep a daily record of the names of the children being cared for on the premises, including their hours of attendance.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 extend the use of open-ended questions to focus children's learning, enhance their ability to express their ideas and consider what else is possible

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 involve children in developing consistent procedures that enable them to agree their codes of behaviour and take responsibility for implementing them, for example, when sharing and taking turns.

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who attend

The childminder has a sound knowledge of children's learning and development, which helps to ensure they all make satisfactory progress towards the early learning goals. She gathers useful information from parents when children start so she has a secure, initial understanding of children's interests and abilities. This enables her to make use of her teaching skills so that children have suitable learning experiences across the areas of learning. The childminder encourages parents to be involved in their children's learning, for example, she asks them about favourite songs and stories so they can share them at home and in the setting. She uses her observations on children's achievements well to help her monitor and assess their progress. These efficiently inform the Progress check at age two, and are shared with other providers to aid consistency of care and learning.

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who attend

Children know what is available and confidently talk to the childminder about the activities and resources. They enjoy imaginative play, and chatter happily to the childminder as they pretend to prepare vegetables and use the toy kitchen to make soup. The childminder promotes their communication skills well and shows an interest in their conversations. Together they recall activities they have enjoyed, such as planting sunflower seeds, and look at their photographs of the growing plants. The childminder provokes children's curiosity appropriately as they watch an aeroplane pass overhead and encourages them to listen to the sound of the engines. However, the childminder overlooks some opportunities to focus children's learning and consider what is possible through open-ended questioning. For instance, when children combine water and soil to make mud pies, they are not fully encouraged to explore the changes and therefore extend their understanding of the world.

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who attend

Children enjoy a broad range of arts and crafts using interesting materials, such as, leaves, tissue paper and glitter. They develop their early writing skills appropriately as they freely access pens and pencils or make large chalk swirls on the pavements outdoors, which helps prepare them for the next stage in their learning, including school. Children recognise numbers in their play because they have good opportunities to use them in practical ways. The childminder encourages them to sing counting songs and uses numbers routinely. They look for numbers and shapes in the environment and assess how many bricks they use as they construct towers and three-dimensional shapes. This supports their mathematical development well. The childminder supports children to develop practical skills, such as, changing their clothes, or putting on their shoes for outdoor play so they are well-prepared to be independent individuals. Children learn about

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who attend

each other's similarities and differences through enjoyable activities, such as, celebrating special events. They collect postcards of holiday destinations and look at their own family photographs. All this adequately supports their personal, social and emotional development.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children settle well into the setting because the childminder develops close links with parents. Home visits with the parents prior to children starting enables her to gather good information about children's interests and activities in their own, familiar environment. This aids her to achieve consistency of learning and a smooth transition into her setting. As a result, children feel safe and comfortable in her care. Children show close and trusting attachments to the childminder and enjoy her company. They move around the home confidently and make their own choices from the well- organised toys and equipment. The childminder effectively introduces children to the next stage in their learning through her partnerships with local pre-schools and the nearby primary schools. This helps to ensure children make their future transitions with confidence. Mostly, children behave well and show a suitable understanding of acceptable rules

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

because the childminder has appropriate boundaries. The childminder encourages children to play sharing games together, such as matching cards. She is consistently kind and polite with the children, so they learn to respect each other. However, when minor conflicts arise, the childminder has a tendency to intervene. Consequently, children do not always have sufficient time to learn self-control, communicate their feelings to each other and solve their own issues independently. Children have lots of opportunities to socialise with others to develop their confidence in differing social situations. They attend local activity groups, and visit other minded children. They join in local events, such as Children in Need, which helps them recognise the needs of others and effectively supports their future learning.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children's good health is promoted well by the wide variety of fruits and vegetables provided by the childminder at snack times. Parents generally provide their children's main meals, guided by the childminder's healthy eating policies. Cooking activities and regular shopping trips to choose their favourite fruits help children develop a good knowledge of healthy diets. Children learn good hygiene by example and therefore gain a good understanding of healthy living. They show they know about the importance of hand washing to eliminate the germs that affect their health.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children enjoy active healthy outdoor exercise on a daily basis. The childminder takes them for walks and they use large equipment at the local play parks. They have enjoyable times in the childminder's garden as they kick balls, or throw beanbags to each other. All this helps them gain physical confidence and good coordination. The childminder listens to children's requests, and provides bubbles to blow, or a bowl of water so they can make mud pies. This enhances their understanding of the natural world and gives them positive attitudes towards fresh air and exercise, which supports their future learning well. Children learn to keep themselves safe effectively because the childminder talks to them about road safety and ensures they practise the fire drill regularly.

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provision

Children play in a safe environment because the childminder makes daily checks of the premises and equipment to ensure their safety both indoors and out. She risk assesses outings and helps children to learn safe procedures, for example, they all practise crossing the road outside the house, to prepare them for the busier roads elsewhere. The childminder regularly updates her knowledge of child protection and shows a good understanding of safeguarding issues. Written policies and procedures provide clear guidance and ensure parents are informed of her responsibilities to keep their children safe. The childminder does not have a clear or consistent system to accurately record children's days and times in the setting, which means she is not able to demonstrate how she meets the required ratios and effectively manages children's attendance. This is also a breach of the legal requirements for the Early Years Register and the compulsory of the

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provision

Childcare Register. The childminder has effective relationships with parents to ensure children are secure and settled. She keeps them suitably informed through daily conversation, written diaries and the children's learning records. She issues regular newsletters to ensure parents have up- to-date information about children's activities and planned events. Parents indicate they are very happy with the childminding service. They say she provides their children with a secure environment. They like the wide range of activities and outings and comment favourably on the childminder's flexibility. The childminder has well-established partnerships with other providers who care for the children. Information about children's development is shared regularly so they benefit from consistent learning experiences.

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provision

Self-evaluation is mostly effective and helps the childminder to develop her knowledge of early years practice. Since the last inspection, she has completed a qualification at level 3, and attended a wide range of courses and workshops. These include child protection, music therapy, domestic abuse, and supporting children through loss and bereavement. Consequently, children enjoy suitable learning experiences that help them to make satisfactory progress. The childminder regularly monitors children's development and provides three-monthly assessments that summarise their progress. This helps to ensure each child is achieving their expected learning goals.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 keep a daily record of the names of the children being cared for on the premises and their hours of attendance (Compulsory part of the Childcare Register).

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY389770 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 906490 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 4 Number of children on roll 9

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Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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